Pretty reliable.

Rotor problem and vehicle became very loose after 30,000 miles...lots of rattles and clunks.

Very reliable SUV. One major problem was front end wobble under breaking. Thought it was warped rotors, but it turned out that there was a service bulletin out on this and a kit to fix it. Only problem was that dealership told me that since I got the rotors cut, it was my problem now. Toyota was no help. They stated that the dealership was allowed to do this and when I asked to speak to a manager, they said that I could not and that was the final word. Poor cutomer service!!!!

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1999 Chevy blazer

Good power averaging 18+ mpg hwy, city, & offroading combined. Standard ABS, skid control, & traction control make this a very safe vehicle to drive. A CD & cassette player are also standard. Good ground clearance & a big gas tank let you stay in the woods awhile longer. The rear window rolls into tailgate, allowing access w/o opening the liftgate. Lockable glove box. Valet key. Radio antennae built into the windows.

#1 complaint: tall drivers cannot sit in the desirable Sport & Limited models w/o their head contacting the sunroof. As a result we purchase the SR5 that is next to impossible to find with heated mirrors, side air bags, & auto-dimming rearview mirror as optional equipment. No ashtray or lighter standard either, & optional ashtray location pretty much useless. Steering wheel position for me blocks the speedometer at highway speeds. The base suspension is too tight in the front end, although this may be caused by the tires. When the rear window is open while driving with my spoiler equipped model, carbon monoxide enters the cabin. Window & mirror controls are not illuminated except for the driver's window only, & this includes even the loaded models. The roof rack causes wind noise, although moving the horizontal bars fully to the rear will get rid of most of it. If the window glass was as thick as American vehicles the interior noise would be much less at highway speeds.

So far it's a better vehicle than the '97 Blazer it replaces. But it's not perfect. My windshield doesn't take rock hits very well. It been repaired twice. The radio died at 1100 miles. It took the dealer 2 trips & 4 hours to align the steering. Hopefully the next time the tires get rotated it stays aligned. I never got stuck owning the Chevy, & I hope the same holds true for my 4Runner.

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1997 Chevrolet Blazer LS 4X4. Every 6 months something needed repair, but most of the time it was under warranty & in and out the same day. Too bad the Trailblazer has been recalled so many times or I would have considered the Chevy. I really wanted a Tahoe, but it wasn't in the budget.

Power, reilability, looks, quality, features, service.

The service guy at Toyota told me that there is a problem with the dash making noise but they have a kit they can put in to stop that noise at no charge. Gas consumption, no leather seating.

Let me tell you, this is the best suv you can get at $30k or under - I test drove all the other suvs in this price range - the new 4runner is power and quality! The engine is strong, power back window, keyless entry, all come with sunroof pretty much which doesnt seem to make noise yet, sound system is good, plenty of room, and nice little features like automatic closing back door makes sure you close the back door all the way, you can lower your back window with your remote key, etc. Toyota service, reliability, what else can i say. Why pay for an overpriced X5 with all the hassle of that service and reliability when the 4runner has it all. Wish it came with leather seats but it really doesnt matter, you can get them for $1,000 extra.

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test, drove pathfinder, mountaineer, jeep.

Reliability of a toyota, great looks, so damn sexy. Solid build, wherever you look, whatever you touch, you know that this is one solid piece of work. Nothing feels like it is going to fall off even after forcing it off, common problem with fords and GM vehicles. Great cargo space, too bad I had to waist it for my Subwoofers, can always take them out. Although I had a chance to spend the night with the seats down, enough room for two grownups. Sufficient power, need more? TRD has a supercharger available for this model. Leather is nice, it isn't top grade, but it is tough and durable, 50K on the truck and no rip, or even scratch. Skid plates, which other SUV has this many skid plates protecting the underbody?

Gas mileage is not so great, especially when converting from a four cylinder Accord. No heated Leather seats, one would think for this much money it would come as an option even (pathfinders have it), no compass in the rear view, not to mention MPG. Only one utility storage organizer in the cargo area, on the side. My accord wagon had a few in the floors and then some.

I loved this truck ever since the first time I layed my eyes on it. There is nothing like it out there. Looks are incredible and whatever anyone says, no other SUV looks as bad azz as this one. Ground clearance is great, can do some serious offroading without any modification done period. For those of you who like to get out there and play in the mud, this car has more aftermarket parts than any other SUV. Just by looking at this truck you can tell that its no BS, it is simply beautiful and sexy. Inside of this vehicle is rather simple for the price paid, but for me it is great and well thought off. I was the king of the road this past winter and for the first time ever I am mad now that the winter is over, that is how much fun this car is.

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Drove Friend's Jimmy, owned 87 tacoma, drove Trooper, Montero both sport and the big one(both are not bad), drove ML 320, nothing special, Pathfinders are great too, this would be my second choice after the 4Runner.

none

don't buy its a dud

I am sorry to report that the 03 4Runner V6 is a clunker. After 12000 miles, all wheel drive gave out, had to replace it. Still not working right after it was replaced. The engine won't run if the temperature is below minus 10, and I have it in the shop over 5 times for other complaints

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2001 Nissann Pathfinder, this one kicked ass, noew model yet no recalls, and no garage visits for me, I should have never traded.

Excellent V8 Quiet, smooth ride Tradition of dependability 4x4 ability to a point(see weaknesses) Looks every penny of the price paid

Offroad, this vehicle can't uphold the claims all the electronic driving aids promise. The front, rear and side(step bars) overhangs are excessive. On my first trail ride with this 4Runner I gouged both front and rear plastic bumpers, scatched on side step and dented the muffler. Quickly realized my 98 Jeep Cherokee is a much better trail rig. Finally, whose idea was it to make the 4Runner Limited's 17 inch wheels a $100 option on the base SR5?

I intended on buying a Trailblazer but thanks to this and other sites I changed my mind. After much research, the two choices were the Honda Pilot and Toyoto 4Runner. The Honda has more interior space and makes a more sensible choice for larger families; however, an AWD van would be an even better idea. The 4Runner is a much more adept 4wheeler and can tow twice as much while remaining almost as civilized as the Honda. After driving both vehicles, the 4runner V8 was the easy choice. Did all the research and made the purchasing arrangements online which was much more enjoyable than my last new car purchase. One downside to buying this import vs domestic(such as the TrailBlazer) involved options. The only way to get the options you desire is to get an option package containing what you want. The Sport only has 2 packages which means you get a lot of stuff you would otherwise not pay for. While I am a bit nervous about this vehicles dependancy on electronics(traction control vs. rear diff. lock for instance), there is very little to dislike about this vehicle. This is my first import SUV and I would recommend all potential midsize buyers at least test drive this vehicle.

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98 Jeep Cherokee 93 Explorer Tested the Honda Pilot, Chevy Trailblazer, Ford Explorer, Ford Escape, Dodge Durango and Nissan Pathfinder.

V-6 Motor is very strong but quiet (250 hp) and tows just fine. Looks great and rides very nice. Has lots of nice interior features for a comfortable cabin. I hope that Toyota will live up to its hype and I will be able to have this thing for 200,000+ miles with no problems. Also, changing the oil was as easy as changing oil in a lawnmower - a breeze (Toyota designed the skidplate to have a small hatch in the middle so you can easily access the pan without removing the entire plate); and oil filter is also easily accessible from under the hood (mounted on the upper right side of the motor). The filter has its own little reservoir pan to catch the dripping oil that comes out of the filter when you remove it. And to top it all off, the reservoir has its own drain plug so you can get the remaining oil out easily. It only took me about 10 minutes to change the oil.

Sunroof rattles a bit, front windshield squeaks on very hot days, back hatch rattles and the heated seats do not work at all. All of these things are minor fixes that can be done in about 1 day at a local Toyota dealer (I hope)- I just haven't had the time to get an appointment. I am 6'2" and there isn't alot of headroom, but enough.

The Best SUV I have ever owned (and most expensive). A bit pricey, but love all of the gadgets, etc... Runs strong for the v-6 (more Hp. than the v-8 model) and pulls my 18' boat with no problems. Since it was the first year for the new body style, it does have some minor problems that are under factory warranty, but it's just a pain to take it in to get them fixed with a busy lifestyle (Toyota did not offer me a rentail car). I would recommend a Toyota to anyone who has had problems with American made automobiles. I realize it does support a foreign economy, but I want my money to be well spent on a product that is not going to be in the repair shop every other month! I would recommend buying a 2004 model, by then hopefully Toyota will have worked out any minor problems like rattles, etc... All in all, the 03 4Runner looks and drives great (so far).

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1994 GMC Jimmy (absolute junk) 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport (good truck)

Rear wheel drive!True suv not a crossover car!Strong engine and reliable.Built in JAPAN!Solid interior no rattles...

Only weakness is lack of storage in the back,not even a place large enough to put battery cables in.

Well i finally got what i wanted,had bought a highlander last year and sold it to buy the new fourrunner and its everything i expected.Average 20-22 mpg on the highway,looks more like a real suv than the crossover suv's that need to stay on dry pavement.Interior is very mannish looking compared to the highlander,this one will be a keeper for a while.

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Toyota highlander.

Radio, handling and seats are all very good. The styling is nice as well. MPG is better than average.

The warning lights on the dash come on and but go off when you pull over and restart the car. Should the rear seat passenger windows be open rotten egg smell comes into the cab. When back window is down it is rediculous.

Overall the 4 runner is a good car provided the smell of rotten eggs is to your liking

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GMC, Ford explorer

Dependability: Change the oil, rotate the tires, and these things are good to go. Style: For my money there isn't a better looking SUV on the market. Versatility: Doubles as a professional looking, classy vehicle and a load bearing truck for hauling stuff and people around.

Gas mileage: the 4 cylinder isn't too bad (22 city/25 hwy) but my V6 comes in at about 19 city/22hwy) Safety: these trucks get a bad rap for easily tipping. I've never felt like I've lost control, but they are sitting a bit high and are somewhat boxy, so you can't get too squirly with them.

I like 4Runner so much that when I changed jobs and had to buy a car this year I bought another 4Runner and now own two. I have a '96 4 cylinder 5 Speed and a 2000 Automatic V6. Both are extremely dependable, versatile, roomy, and very nice looking.